emancipate

[ ih-man-suh-peyt ]

verb (used with object)

, e·man·ci·pat·ed, e·man·ci·pat·ing.

1. to free from restraint, influence, or the like.
2. to free (a person) from bondage or slavery.
3. Roman and Civil Law. to terminate paternal control over.

emancipate

/ -trɪ; ɪˈmænsɪpətərɪ; ɪˈmænsɪˌpeɪt /

verb

1. to free from restriction or restraint, esp social or legal restraint
2. often passive to free from the inhibitions imposed by conventional morality
3. to liberate (a slave) from bondage

Derived Forms

• eˈmanciˌpative, adjective
• eˈmanciˌpator, noun
• eˈmanciˌpated, adjective
• emancipatory, adjective

Other Words From

• e·man·ci·pa·tive adjective
• e·man·ci·pa·tor noun
• non·e·man·ci·pa·tive adjective
• un·e·man·ci·pa·tive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of emancipate¹

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin ēmancipātus (past participle of ēmancipāre ) “freed from control,” equivalent to ē- “out of, from” ( e- ¹ ) + man(us) “hand” + -cip- (combining form of capere “to seize”) + -ātus past participle suffix ( -ate ¹ )

Word History and Origins

Origin of emancipate¹

C17: from Latin ēmancipāre to give independence (to a son), from mancipāre to transfer property, from manceps a purchaser; see manciple

Synonym Study

See release.

Example Sentences

Abraham Lincoln fibbed as well, telling newspaper readers in 1862 that he was not considering emancipating the Confederacy’s enslaved people when he’d already decided to do so.

From Los Angeles Times

Latching on to the emancipating power of the word "semi," she wrote a "Semi-Homemade" cookbook, and then another.

From Salon

The group’s name derives from Union Gen. William T. Sherman’s unfulfilled promise to grant some emancipated slaves “40 acres and a mule” to help them start over after the Civil War.

From Los Angeles Times

Bynes' home environment was so troubling that she attempted to emancipate from her parents.

From Salon

The series also asserts that Schneider was not only heavily involved in Bynes’ professional life but in her personal life as well, including trying to help Bynes get emancipated from her parents.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• liberate
• loosen